YOUNG ARTIST WARRIORS VERNISSAGE

Reclaiming Cultural Esteem Through Creative Expression

 

Please come join us in celebrating the completion of the first Young Artist Warriors Project. The Vernissage will be held on Friday, July 24^th at the Native Friendship Centre of Montreal, 2001 St. Laurent (corner of Ontario).

 

In October 2008, a 27-year-old Metis artist by the name of Jeska Slater created a project called Young Artist Warriors. Its mission is to raise cultural esteem and self-esteem of First Nations Youth living in Montreal’sUrban Center.

 

This first YAW project commissioned Jeska to paint seven large-scale portraits of various members of the Inter-Tribal Youth Center of Montreal. These paintings portray their subjects in a natural light that expresses a sense of both pride and hardship. Many of the youth are homeless, and struggle with poverty, substance abuse and early pregnancy. Jeska used the portraiture project as a means of providing positive attention to the youth, something most of them were unaccustomed to.

 

Jeska also mentored the youth in their own art projects in a medium of their choice. Jeska’s hope is that through this work, the “young artist warriors” will find a further sense of empowerment and pride in their heritage, as well as a healthy creative outlet that will inspire them to pursue their goals and dreams in the future.

 

If you are interested in volunteering for YAW, please contact

Jeska Slater

trainyard.owl@gmail.com

(514) 969 6957

 

Come out and support First Nations youth in empowering themselves through creative expression!